Distance medley relay, Bonds lift BYU to fifth after day one of Big 12 Championships

LUBBOCK, Texas – The Cougars notched seven top-10 program marks, along with a win and a runner-up finish, on the first day of the Big 12 Championships at the Sports Performance Center on Friday to sit fifth with 25 points.

Taylor Rohatinsky, Kali McEuen, Krystie Solomon-Jensen and Jenna Hutchins lined up for the distance medley relay, marking the first time the quartet had competed together. Rohatinsky started in the 1200-meter leg and clocked a 3:29.00 to take the lead. McEuen added splits of 25.02 and 28.70 before Solomon-Jensen ran a 2:10.51 in the 800m leg. Hutchins anchored the team to the win with a 4:38.73. The group set the facility record in the event.

Zoey Bonds and Tia Brown each posted career bests in the pentathlon on Friday. Bonds finished runner-up to two-time champion Juliette Laracuente-Huebner of Cincinnati. The Las Vegas native led through the first two events, the 60m hurdles and high jump. Bonds won the 60m hurdles in a personal-best 8.20, tied for the third-fastest time in program history. The junior’s 4,239 points rank No. 4 all-time at BYU. Her finish marked the best pentathlon performance by a Cougar at the Big 12 Championships.

Brown made her first appearance on BYU’s top-10 list, ranking No. 7 in the 60m hurdles and No. 8 in the pentathlon. The freshman scored 3,997 points, highlighted by an 8.38 in the 60m hurdles and a 2:19.90 in the 800m.

Nelah Roberts earned three points for the Cougars with a sixth-place finish in the 5000m. She crossed the line in 16:09.18. The sophomore ran in seventh place through 4200m before making a move to take sixth.

Cailee Faulkner placed seventh in the pole vault as she matched her season high of 4.20m/13-9.25. Her podium finish racked up two points for BYU.

Freshmen Jane Hedengren and Zariel Macchia qualified for Saturday’s mile final. Hedengren won the preliminary round in 4:31.55, setting a facility record. Macchia clocked a 4:51.44 to place seventh.

Both Riley Chamberlain and Tessa Buswell each earned a spot in Saturday’s 800m final with top-10 marks in program history. Competing in the event for the first time this season, Chamberlain ran a 2:02.52 to record the No. 4 mark in program history and finish second in the preliminary round. Buswell also posted a career best of 2:02.92, placing fourth and moving to No. 5 all-time at BYU.

In the 60m dash preliminary round, Paje Rasmussen finished second, matching her personal best of 7.25. She will compete against seven others in the final. The Draper, Utah native also qualified for the 200m final with a 23.05 to place third. She trails first-place Indya Mayberry of TCU by 0.06 seconds.

Sami Oblad and Marianne Barber advanced to Saturday’s 400m final with qualifying times in the preliminary round. Oblad placed second with a season-best 51.85, while Barber clocked a 53.08 to finish seventh. Barber's time ranks No. 3 in program history.

Lexi Goff-Thompson took sixth in the 1000m preliminary round with her 2:46.29, earning her a spot for the final.

Mayci Taylor is set to compete in the 600-yard final, as she took seventh today with her 1:19.39.